The ACS’ role as an international organization that meets the needs of surgeons and patients around the world, particularly in the areas of membership, education, quality programs, and surgical capacity building, is the focus of Dr. Hoyt’s column this month.

Tracey Irvine, MB, BS, MSc, MA, FRCS, an oncoplastic breast surgeon and a recipient of the ACS Murray F. Brennan, MD, FACS, International Guest Scholarship, reports on her experiences at Clinical Congress 2015 and visiting medical centers in the U.S.

Julie Howle, MB, BS, MS, FRACS—a surgical oncologist based in Sydney, Australia, and the first recipient of the ACS Murray F. Brennan, MD, FACS, International Guest Scholarship—reports on her experiences at Clinical Congress and visiting various medical centers in the U.S.

The ACS recently hosted an International Surgical Leaders forum at the ACS Washington Office to discuss possible ways to improve surgical care throughout the world and to share novel ideas, approaches, and resources on best practices in global surgery.